RP46 LMG

The RP46 was the final major update of the Degtyarev light machine gun, and it would be used until supplanted by the excellent PK series of guns. The RP46 was intended to improve the mobile firepower of Soviet infantry by giving them a light machine gun more capable of sustained fire. The pan magazines were replaced by a clever belt feed mechanism that attached to an existing DP’s magazine catches. It was driven by the action of the charging handle, which on a DP reciprocates with every shot.

Because the top cover hooked into the existing front and rear magazine catches, a slot was added to the rear end of the barrel shroud which was engaged by the RP46 carry handle. This way, the weight of the gun when being carried was not supported by the mag catch. The conversion was backwards-compatible with existing pan magazines – the top cover could be removed just like a magazine.

28 comments to RP46 LMG

The biggest hindrance to doing so would be the ammo. Unlike more modern LMGs, the RP46 had no way to attach an ammo container to the gun. So you’d need someone with you holding the belt. I’m not sure if the feed mechanism was strong enough to function with a long hanging belt.

How impossible to find are the RP-46 belt conversions parts? I have always wanted to convert a semi auto DPM to RP-46 form.

I think it was an excellent machine gun that continually evolved from strange beginings to the obvious ending as a belt fed LMG/GPMG. The PKM has always overshadowed this excellent design. But the old DP-28 helped to win the great patriotic war and continues to soldiered on as the DPM and RP-46 even to this day.

The reason they are so rare is because they are still being used as a GPMG all over Africa and who knows where else….I still want a semi-auto RP-46 some day….I think that if it had been updated it would have been everybit as the PKM is today.

I happen to have a 1960 copy of I believe a Russian RP-46 manual, I would be willing to lend if you need or want to make a copy. I don’t read Russian, but the pictures tell the story, although it would be nice to have an English translation. From the perspective of a two decade professional Marine, it remains as viable today as ever, I’d gladly trade any weapon I was issued during my service for one of these, or a DP, it remains the best long range medium machine gun, right up with the PKM, and is in my own opinion, superior to the 240G both in ammunition capability, and durability, as well as being just as sturdy if not more, while being lighter. It retains control out to 2000 meters, something the .308 simply can’t do. I have no doubt it remains in full service all over the world. I find it to be among the best designs ever, if not the best, and definitely superior to American weapons. It does everything a 1919 can do, plus a whole lot it can’t do, since the loss of the 30-06 capabilities.

They posted about it already, check the site updates. I highly recommend getting on their email list.

On the weapon itself: Indeed, the DPM/Rp46 is an impressive piece of equipment. Only handling a handful of LMG’s and MMG’s in my own life I’ve come to appreciate how robust and simple it is, even with my limited experience.

If any of the above posters are interested in purchasing an RP46 belt feed conversion, contact me. The conversion is not quite a drop in onto a DP, as there is minor fitting of the cover latch that must be done as well as modification of the gas regulator to provide more power. The RP gas regulator is much more robust and ports larger than the DP.
As an owner/shooter of a FA registered RP46, I do not find it very user friendly. Loading a belt quickly requires some skill and a lot of practice. The loaded belts tend to require a lot of focus and constant attention to prevent kinking and dragging in the dirt. Use of the belts out of a standard SG/PK can is quite clumsy unless the gun is elevated above the can. The bipod has limited traverse pivot which interferes with traverese, but the shroud is underslung on the bipod mount which helps control. The belt feed action is pretty harsh, a drawback compared to the very smooth operation of the DP drum feed.
Fascinating gun and fun to shoot.
The PK leaves the RP in the dust!

[...] not as trivial as many people think - CNC has some definite limitations. The part is from an RP46 top cover, a conversion to made the DP28/DPM light machine gun into a belt-fed weapon instead of [...]

Hey there! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a group of volunteers and starting a new project in a community
in the same niche. Your blog provided us valuable information to work on.
You have done a wonderful job!

I could only dream of having CAD drawings of this conversion, for our weaponeer members, so they could reproduce the design. As an owner of the DP28 semi, I would love to build one of these myself, but these are the only photos I have seen of it. granted, and a weapon designer and master armorer, it’s not very hard to build a close copy without ever seeing one, because there are only a few ways it can be made to work. But, the whole point is to build a reproduction of the original, so you can better understand the actual design, and it’s limitations. Thankfully the Russians use the same belt design for the Maxim, SG43 etc, and I have both weapons and most of the accessories, so there is no need to build a one of a kind belt, making it much more possible.

A number of our weaponeer members have DP28′s, and would be interested in building reproductions. I would LOVE to build one for mine, but as a disabled veteran, funds are VERY much limited in this economy, and the cost of materials alone could prevent me from building one myself. but it would be fun to try..

Is there any chance that you could take a lot more photos, along with a metal ruler or grid for a sense of scale of the parts. based on the current photos it’s hard to see all the details, or the thickness of the steel used. plus you cannot see the back side of the parts very well, which could have details that are needed.